From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Tests conducted on a 6.EX car to find the effect of rear shock absorbers with different tyre pressures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 45\1\ Scan094 | |
| Date | 22th September 1920 | |
| X.4050 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CJ. c. to En. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to EWT. for R.R. Inc. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/LG22.9.20. X.3461b. X.4050. RE SHOCK ABSORBERS. X.2628b. We have recently carried out some tests on 6.EX Car (open touring body) to find the effect of rear shock absorbers with difference tyre pressures. We first ran the car with 80 lbs. pressure in the tyres (American cord tyres) - greased springs. Under these conditions the car was bad to ride in - it rattled and dithered on the slightest sign of a bumpy road. The steering was also bad. As soon as the foot brake was applied the car dithered across the road. We then fitted the rear shock absorbers with the four stages of friction. This made it an improvement but the car was still bad. We then fitted shock absorbers so that we had the maximum friction from the first stage (60 lbs.) This improved the car very considerably. The shock absorbers not only effected the steadiness of the car but they reduced the jaggers when the foot brake was applied. We then ran a similar test with 65 lbs. pressure in the tyres. We found under these conditions that the rear shock absorbers showed a distinct advantage. We then ran a further test with 45 lbs, pressure in the tyres. Under those conditions we found that it was very difficult to appreciate any effect from the rear shock absorbers. The only conditions under which one would appreciate Contd. | ||